Joining Our Club

We are always recruiting new members throughout the year, although it’s best you start at the beginning of the season in February. We train weekly until the season ends in August, after which we train fortnightly, then break from December and return for the new season in February. To start, simply contact us to let us know you’ll be coming along to training. Do this by calling us or join our Facebook page and let us know there. Have a look at our training locations, dates and times.

Our Focus

Right from day one, Jorth Gar have expanded on the NVG’s already solid reputation for quality troops and equipment. We are renowned for our military drill, professionalism and discipline, and through applying this successfully on the field of battle. The high standard of the equipment and uniformity of our group, has also earned us much praise and admiration.

Jorth Gar specialise in producing Soldiers, as opposed to undisciplined warriors. To be a Soldier, a recruit is expected to attend training every week, and work on military drill, exercise, military formation, weapon skill, discipline, safety, and respectful conduct.

We also welcome into our group non-combatants to act as civilians, traders, archers and craft experts. In fact, nearly half of our group are civilian of some sort.

What’s Expected of Recruits

Commitment to training is first and foremost, the most important thing for a new recruit to focus on. This will ensure that a their skills are always expanding, and prove their worth to Jorth Gar officials. It will also ensure that the recruit receives promotions as quickly as possible.

A level headed, respectful approach to fighting and to all members of Jorth Gar and our associates is essential. Any recruit can be refused promotion or removed from the group for being a hot headed or dangerous fighter, or through disrespecting other members of the group.

A reasonable level of historical knowledge should be acquired by the first rank of Gestr and expanded thereafter. We are not just a fighting group, we are a living history organisation. This makes it fundamental that all members possess basic levels of historical understanding on our era and who we portray. We will help you achieve this.

Combatants are asked to aim for at least 50% attendance to combat trainings, while civilians are asked to aim for attending as many Sunday gathering/trainings as they can, for social interaction with other group members, craft opportunities, general meetings and more. All members are asked to prioritise their attendance to our main shows: Viking Culture Day (typically the second weekend of September) and the Abbey Medieval Tournament (first or second weekend of July).

Costs

Membership is $40 per year. This includes your membership to the Jorth Gar garrison of the New Varangiain Guard Inc (a national non-profit organisation) as well as your public liability insurance for the financial period from 1st of July to 30th of June. A new recruit, or previous members returning to us, can train with us up to three times before deciding whether or not to continue your involvement with Jorth Gar and pay your membership fee.

The cost of building your kit various greatly between warriors and civilians, and also depends on how fast you do it. There’s no deadline by which you must have built up your kit, in fact it can take years to procure a full kit. On average, some warriors spend as little as $500 per year, while others build up their kit much faster by spending about $1000 per year. Average spend for a civilian is $200 per year.

Fuel costs to and from events.

At some events we’ll impose a mandatory fee that all members must pay if attending the event. There are no exceptions. For example, we may organise a beast for dinner and nibblies for lunch. Regardless of whether or not you intend to eat the group’s food and regardless of any other circumstances, you have to pay the fee, which is usually around $20.